Jamie at IWCE ’26!

 IWCE (International Window Coverings Expo) is QUITE the event!

“Dedicated exclusively to window coverings. Since 1986, IWCE has been the annual meeting point for the industry where retailers, manufacturers, fabricators, designers, and installers come together to build partnerships, discover innovation, and drive growth.” – courtesy of iwce-vision.com

Look at that! IWCE started the same year GWD did! WOoOoOO HOOoooO!

Jamie, our Designer, this was her FIRST IWCE conference and I asked her to share her experience! Here’s what she said.
“Seminars
Seminars were really motivational and inspiring!
From Hesitation to Yes: A Blueprint for Confident Sales Conversations with Kathy Pace: biggest takeaway: creating a safe and secure sales conversation with clients. she explained her methodology of ReCEPT- the intentional experience of helping clients feel Relaxed, Connected, Engaged, Personally understood, and clear about the Transformation.

Keynote Luncheon: Winning with Window Treatments + Book Signing with Interior Designer Eric Ross:
He was entertaining! He shared inspiration from his layered, elegant Southern-style interiors.

Color Alchemy: How Designers Are Blending Hues for Tomorrow’s Interiors with Interior Designer Elle Cole
Favorite quote: “Windows are the soul of a home.”
Trending colors: Oxblood and Deep brown, cosmic blues, muted muddy pastels. Use color as emotional structure in a home. Layered color is what makes a room timeless.
Strategy for using color: tell a story with it, use it to anchor and lift and provide emotional balance, start small-build in layers

From Confusion to Confidence: Window Treatments Demystified
Natural fabrics perform with their own “personality”; blends are best for drapery!
100% Linen will grow and shrink, 100% Polyester tends to flare, 100% silk will flare and wrinkle

On the Horizon: Innovations & Trends in Window Treatments 
Everything old is new again in style!
Layers upon layers upon layers!
Colors: pink and hues of pink (terracotta) pink and green together
Design: channeled upholstery, fabric on walls, scalloped trims, pattern drenching 
Familiar patterns: florals and stripes
Trims and embellishments: fringe! fretwork trims tiebacks, tassels, contrasting fabric on the back of fabric, texture! open weave fabric, woven woods, cafe curtains, traditional valances.

And of course, home automation!

Smart Moves: Advancements in Motorization
Eventually, all shades will be motorized!
WHY? Energy savings, smart home technology, convenience, design trends
Plan ahead for a new build (we did a whole blog about this!) requiring pre-wired installation.

AI is already being used to control shades by analyzing occupancy patterns and weather forecasts, for proactive shade usage.

From the Floor:
It was great to meet some of our reps unveiling new products at the show and to learn about new businesses sharing their products and expertise in the industry.
I saw…

Really cool new printed and woven fabric for roller shades. Microfiber suede, patterns, beautiful textures.
Beautiful woven woods available with top-down, bottom-up operation and motorized operation!
Lovely mixes of patterns and styles of drapery. Stripes and floral! Fringe! Scalloped trim!
Exciting innovation with motorization! including a top-down bottom-up roller shade, hybrid motorized roller shade with a manual option.
New drapery hardware with motorization!
Specialty shaped roller shades for windows that aren’t square or rectangular.🙂
So.many.motors.
And I scored a new set of the Opulence roller shade hardware brackets that I will bring to every client’s house because, I love them!

My head is still swirling with all the info and eye candy!”

Want to work with Jamie? Completely get that! Schedule here.